Packaging containers comprising a first portion essentially being formed of a first material and a second portion essentially being formed of a second material have been known for a long time. One example of such a packaging container is shown in EP-A1-108166. Another example of such a packaging container is disclosed in WO 02/070365 A1. The latter is a commercially available packaging container marketed by Tetra Pak under the trademark Tetra Top.
Features and methods of manufacture in regard of such types of packaging containers are thoroughly described in the above documents and in documents referred to therein.
In short the above packaging containers may comprise an essentially cylindrical container body made from a paper-based material, provided with suitable coatings or laminates, such as is described in the above applications. The container body is usually folded and sealed in one end thereof, and provided with a top portion in the opposite end. The top portion comprises an opening device. The top portion generally is made from a plastic material, which may comprise an additional barrier material to achieve barrier properties eliminating or reducing passage of light, taste or oxygen.
There are several beneficial features with the above mentioned type of packaging containers, in regard of pre-manufacture logistics, manufacture, post-manufacture logistics, storage display and user friendliness. One drawback, however, relate to post-use logistics. The packaging containers are easily collapsible, such that they may be compressed by hand and thus space efficient. From a waste management perspective it is beneficial of the two portions; plastic and paper; of the packaging container are separated and sorted into different fractions, which presently requires an action from the consumer. The application WO 2005/032959, by the present applicant, is directed towards a suggested solution the above drawback. By providing the plastic top portion of the packaging container with a weakening line the major portion of the plastic top may be separated from the paper based body portion with relative ease, which is disclosed in the above application.